Kristina Crestin made the final cut of MTV's Fresh Faces of Design competition! Check her out and throw your best wishes and support out to Kristina. The ladies of Design Salon are pulling for her...make us PROUD!

9/8/16

A fall priority list MUST DO with Marni Katz

Join the Ladies of Design for the September kick off event at Lekker

Marni Katz will walk us through a strategy session with insider intel on what editors are really looking for and how to best pitch your product to them....she will even share a few tricks of the trade from an editor's point of view. Ink this night into your fall calendar and bring your best product pitches or editor bitches.

Marni Elyse Katz is a freelance design journalist and art consultant, and the blogger behind StyleCarrot. She contributes regularly to the Boston Globeand other local publications includingDesign New England,Boston Home, andYankee, and co-writes the blog for Matouk linens. In addition to sourcing art for Webster & Company at the Boston Design Center, Katz works with private clients and interior designers and curates pop-up art events. Despite studying Mandarin at Connecticut College and researching Indian painting at Columbia University, Katz forged a career in publishing. Following an internship in the fashion closet ofRolling Stone, Katz worked as a travel editor and model editor (she cast Heidi Klum on her first cover). She soon turned her attention to the online space to edit the first original content online fashion magazine and develop her own site, StyleExperts, which featured advice from icons including Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang, and Iman. At Time Inc. New Media, Katz worked on early digital iterations ofTeen PeopleandInStyle. As a managing editor at America Online, Katz developed and oversaw local and national entertainment, shopping, and travel verticals. More recently Katz was a deputy editor at NBC Local Media where she helped build and run a lifestyle site, and an contributing editor at Design Milk. Katz lives in the Back Bay with her husband, two sons, and cat. You can follow her @StyleCarrot on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Natalie Carpenter of Lekker has invited us to meet up at Lekker.... one of our favorite chic boutiques in Boston!

When: Tuesday, September 20Time: 7:00 pm

Where: Lekker

1313 Washington Street. South End

RSVP: Jill.palese@gmail.complease bring wine or snacks to share with the group

3/10/16

It takes a savvy design eye to see creative new opportunities in unexpected places....and that is exactly what Susan Batista and Fritz Klaetke have done. With their combination of smart design instincts, impeccable taste and good knowledge of our little city's history, the duo was able to re-think the those little "made in China" ceramic lobsters. Boston Globe describes it as "colonial chic" and Salonistas would call it downright genius! BRAVO, Susan and Fritz.

Susan Battista and her partner Fritz Klaetke work with leading businesses and organizations through their award-winning branding and design firm Visual Dialogue Susan’s expertise is in marketing strategy and research while Fritz is creative director at the firm. Recognizing that Boston gift shops offered cliche items with lobsters made in China, they created 1630 a unique Boston-themed shoppe that features goods they’ve designed, products created by local makers, and vintage from around New England. The pop-up shoppe is currently located in historic Faneuil Hall where 20 million people visit each year. The store is an example of how creating a holistic branded environment taps into current market trends and customer preferences. While we can all shop online from anywhere at anytime, 1630 demonstrates the opportunity for retail to evolve and attract today's customers. Susan will be talking about the “pop-up” phenomenon and opportunities for local makers to reach a broader audience.

Our March 29 design salon will meet at 1630 where we can see first hand what the Boston Globe has called “colonial chic” and the Improper Bostonian has said “is an untouristy tourist shop”.

Sidebar: Susan and Fritz host a "Maker Pitch Night" once a month, where local makers are selected to sell their goods in the shoppe! Susan will give you more information at our meeting.

2/29/16

It's hard to believe that Design Salon will be turning 10 in a few months! We've had loads of fantastic speakers, groovy conversations and fun new connections. Everyone has sure come a LOOOONNNNNGGGG way since we all first gathered in Jill's studio over wine and candlelight on a chilly evening nearly 10 years ago.

The Boston design buzz says that Salonistas have been busy creating and building empires! Feel free to shoot me a note and I'll try to post a little blast here. jill.palese@gmail.com

Remember to check this blog in a couple of weeks...We've just booked a couple of fantastic events in great venues for March and April!

January
In January Salonistas were invited to the luscious Hudson , where we enjoyed an evening with one of our few male "guest stars", Michael Zimmons of Zimmons Fabrics . Michael spoke about how to keep business thriving moving and shaking in a three generation's old family business. The key? Thinking creatively, being open minded, paying attention to customers and having great gut instincts. Good thing Michael was absolutely adorable, otherwise Jill Goldberg's well curated shop full of eye candy would have been an insane distraction, making even the strongest willed designer weak in the knees.

February

In February, Natalie Carpenter of Lekker had generously opened her beautiful boutique to the salonistas, so that we could lounge on her her delicious furniture and enjoy Natalie's scented candles while Erin Gates of Elements of Styleshared her new successes, the challenges of starting and growing her brand... and her family. It was hysterical that her hubby phoned in with a 911 call to Erin. Apparently, their new baby needed her even more that we did! THANK YOU ERIN, for generously sharing your evening with us, even though you were on the 5th sleepless night in a row! We heart you.

The Buzz

We've heard through the grapevine that Holly Johnson of Cheeky Monkey can't keep her beautiful felt pillows in stock, and Kate Murphy and Sharyl Stropkay of Studio KS have been in their studio creating the most luscious and framable wrapping papers on the planet.

We are a group of professional women (sorry boys) who work in design related businesses who meet once a month to talk about design, business and all things between. Come chat and join in supporting your fellow lady designers.